Wow. It’s already Wednesday. Where has the time gone?

First off, I have to share a story about laughter. From Merriam-Webster Online

Main Entry: laugh·ter
Pronunciation: 'laf-t&r, 'l[a']f-
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English hleahtor; akin to Old English hliehhan
1 : a sound of or as if of laughing
2 archaic : a cause of merriment

Notice the pronunciation? Yes. that’s right. It’s pronounced laFter. Well duh. We all know that. Right?

You would think so.

My husband and I went to a cookout on Sunday in a little town about an hour from our house. (Hernando, MS) The directions we had weren’t very clear so we stopped at a little gas station to ask for clarification. We were looking for “Lauder”. Wrong. We were looking for “Laughter” street, except the locals pronounce it “Lauder”.

Huh?

You heard me. Laughter is not pronounced laFter. It’s pronounced lAUDer. Well, at least in this community.

This is not the first time that the locals have bastardized the pronounciation of a word for their purposes. (it weeds out the outtatowners.)

For example:

I live in Lafeyette county. Pronounced here: Lu FAY’ ette NOT lä-fE-'et as it is in the rest of the world.

We have a Marquis Cheveron. Pronounced Markus not mar ‘kee

We have a China Royal. Achem. Pronounced, China RoyAL.

Need I go on?